German voters threw out their anti-American, leftist chancellor. Schroeder was a more adamant opponent of U.S. foreign policy in a philosophical sense than Chirac ever was. With Sarkozy rising in France, prospects for closer future alignment between American and European positions on major security issues look a bit rosier.

Now would be a good time to try and cut a deal with Putin regarding orchestrated pressure on Iran over its nuclear program to offer Teheran a deal in the near future that they can't refuse - a generous grand bargain that will fully integrate Iran into the world economy as a normal state in return for dropping terror and nuclear proliferation activities.

Not so fast! Merkel doesn't have a majority even with the FDP's remarkable showing. But the FDP results look to forestall a classic left coalition. So the FDP can join SDP/Greens or they may wind up with a grand coalition. Either way, doesn't look like the SDP is necessarily out of the picture. Interesting bargaining coming up.

Schroeder though managing a chancellorship out of this would be accomplishing quite a rabbit out of a hat trick; an SPD-CDU/CSU coalition is far likelier to be one without Schroeder than one without Merkel.

Mate, you need to learn something about Euro politics before commenting. You're going to become that ignorant slut Pundita else.

Primo, it's far from clear Schroeder's part "lost" or Merkel won (indeed the contrary) so your headline is more than slightly stupid (rather like that famous Truman-Dewey headliner).

Mind you I rather wish Merkel had scored the long ball win, but, well, she did not, and the phrasing "thrown out" merely betrays foolish wishful thinking.

Of course, if you wish to be an idiot slut commentator blithering on the basis of preconceived notions a la pundita, well feel free, although you are better than that.

As for Shroeder, well he's center left and while not exactely a friend of the present administration, hardly deserving of visceral dislike FP wise - although you are right his opposition to the US disaster in Iraq was rather more ideologically principalled than the French.

That of course is unfortunate. I prefer unprincipalled pragmatism myself.

As for your opining on the Chancellorship, it's superficial and stupid. What is important is not Merkel or Schroeder, but the strength of the majority and its content. You know, parliamentary politics and all that. While Schroeder may resign, SPD might put together, with this result, a coalition that if anything would be worse than the Schroeder government vis-a-vis both economic reform and US interests.

While I could not give a flying fuck abou the later, the former rather deeply disappoints me.

Bloody hell mate, this is one of your worst posts yet. Reign in and stop the blithering.